Hosts planning a hot soup course
If soup is part of a christening-party lunch, compare the calories for the portion you intend to serve and decide whether a labelled half-tin serving is enough for each guest.
Who is this for?
Hosts catering for different diets
A tomato or vegetable flavour does not establish whether a soup is suitable for every guest. Check the exact can’s ingredients, allergens and vegetarian or vegan statement before settling on a shared option.
Hosts serving several guests
Portion sizes and heating instructions matter when preparing batches. The Food Standards Agency advises heating food thoroughly when reheating it and reheating it only once.
What should you check?
Start with the calories for the portion you will serve, then check the other label details that affect your guests and serving plan.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Calories per portion | Find whether the energy figure is per 100g, half-tin or whole tin. Use the stated number of servings to compare it with the amount you will serve. | I want the soup portion to stay below 500 kcal without mistaking a half-tin figure for the whole tin. |
| Salt | Compare salt on the same per-100g or whole-tin basis after checking the intended portion. A calorie figure does not describe a soup’s salt content. | If salt matters to my guests, I want to compare the actual cans rather than choose on calories alone. |
| Ingredients and diets | Read the exact product’s ingredient and allergen declarations, along with any vegetarian or vegan statement. Do not rely on a flavour name or shop filter. | I need to know whether the soups I serve suit the guests attending, including anyone who needs to avoid particular ingredients. |
| Portions and heating | Check servings per tin and the manufacturer’s heating instructions. The Food Standards Agency advises reheating thoroughly and only once. | For several guests, I need portions that fit the menu and a workable plan for heating and serving batches. |
Common buying mistakes
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Comparing different serving sizes
Tesco Groceries gives 61 kcal per half-tin for Tesco Low Fat Tomato Soup 400g, which is about 122 kcal for the tin. It gives 76 kcal for the entire 295g tin of Heinz Weight Watchers Tomato Soup.
Compare the same amount—your planned bowl, a half-tin or a whole tin—before applying the 500-calorie limit.
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Using calories as a stand-in for salt
Calories and salt are separate label figures. In its February 2026 analysis of 481 ready-to-eat soups, Action on Salt & Sugar reported that 23% exceeded UK salt-reduction targets; that finding does not describe every tin in this selection.
If salt is a consideration, compare the current declarations for the specific soups on an equivalent portion basis.
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Assuming the flavour establishes dietary suitability
Tesco Groceries lists milk in the ingredients of Heinz Cream of Tomato Soup, while ASDA’s listing identifies soya in Heinz Plant Based Vegan Creamy Tomato Soup. A tomato flavour alone settles neither question.
Check each can’s ingredient and allergen information for the guests who will eat it, and keep that information available when serving.
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Repeatedly reheating a party batch
The Food Standards Agency advises that reheated food should be heated thoroughly and reheated only once.
Follow the can’s heating directions and plan batches around when guests will be served.
Relevant brand ranges
These are references for comparing particular UK soup listings, not a claim that every soup in a brand’s range meets the 500-calorie criterion.
Heinz
Heinz has several tomato-soup variants with different pack sizes and label declarations.
- Tesco Groceries lists Heinz Weight Watchers Tomato Soup at 76 kcal per 295g tin; ASDA lists Heinz No Added Sugar Cream of Tomato Soup at 68 kcal per half of a 400g tin.
- Check the particular recipe: Tesco lists milk in standard Heinz Cream of Tomato Soup, and ASDA lists soya in the plant-based vegan variant.
Tesco
Tesco’s own-label Low Fat Tomato Soup provides a 400g option with a stated half-tin serving.
- Tesco Groceries declares 61 kcal per half-tin, equivalent to about 122 kcal for the whole tin.
- Tesco advises reading the current product label because food recipes and information can change.
ASDA
ASDA lists both a cream of tomato soup and a tomato-and-three-bean soup in 400g tins.
- ASDA declares 59 kcal per half-tin for its Cream of Tomato Soup and 156 kcal per whole tin for The Health Menu Tomato & Three Bean Soup.
- The two products use different serving declarations, so compare the portion you plan to offer.
Sainsbury's
Sainsbury's lists its own-brand soups alongside other tinned-soup brands.
- Its category listing offers several brands to compare.
- Sainsbury's tells shoppers to check the label; use the specific can’s nutrition and ingredient information for this decision.
M&S
M&S describes tinned-soup styles including chicken, minestrone, vegetable and chilli bean.
- Those styles offer different possibilities for a party menu.
- Check a chosen tin’s calorie declaration and ingredients rather than assuming a style meets the serving requirement.
Campbell's
Tesco Groceries lists Campbell's condensed Cream of Mushroom and Cream of Chicken soups in 295g tins.
- The condensed format is a distinct option to consider when planning how soup will be prepared.
- Check the chosen product’s preparation directions and the calories for the amount served.
Joybuy soup options
These Joybuy options include savoury soups for a party soup course and a snow fungus soup to consider for a separate sweet course. Check each exact pack’s current energy declaration against the portion you intend to serve.
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Heinz Cream of Mushroom Soup 400g
A mushroom option for a savoury soup course. Check the can’s energy figure for the portion served, along with its heating directions and allergen declaration.
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Crosse & Blackwell Best of British Spicy Parsnip & Carrot Soup 400g
A parsnip-and-carrot choice for a savoury course. Check the current can for calories per portion, heating instructions and ingredients relevant to your guests.
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Itoen Special Rich Corn Potage Soup 185g
The 185g corn potage is a smaller-pack option. Check the pack’s energy and ingredient declarations before using it for a guest with dietary requirements.
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Bestore Stewed Snow Fungus Soup 200g
Consider this 200g snow fungus soup for a separate sweet course rather than assuming it will suit a savoury lunch. Check the pack’s calorie declaration and storage instructions before serving.
Questions about serving soup
Does under 500 calories mean per serving or per tin?
Apply the limit to the amount each guest will receive. For example, Tesco Groceries lists Heinz Weight Watchers Tomato Soup at 76 kcal per whole 295g tin, but Tesco Low Fat Tomato Soup at 61 kcal per half of a 400g tin—about 122 kcal if you serve the whole tin.
Will bread or toppings keep the meal under 500 calories?
The soup’s calorie figure does not include accompaniments. If the limit is for the entire meal, count bread, butter, croutons or other additions using their own labels and the quantities served.
Is tomato soup automatically dairy-free or vegan?
No. Tesco Groceries lists milk in standard Heinz Cream of Tomato Soup, while ASDA lists Heinz Plant Based Vegan Creamy Tomato Soup as suitable for vegans but containing soya. Read the ingredient and allergen declaration on every exact can you serve.
How should I reheat soup for a christening party?
Follow the can’s directions and heat the soup thoroughly. The Food Standards Agency advises reheating food only once, so plan batches around serving time rather than repeatedly cooling and reheating the same soup.